Apparatus for trimming flanges.



W. C. BUCKNAM. APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING FLANGES.

PPUCATION FILED OCT. 29, 1915. Patented Feb.22,1916.

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W. C. BUCKNAM. APPARATUS Foa Tmmmms FLANGES.'

` l APPLlcATloN FILED ocT. 29, 1915. 1,1?2,933. Patented m 2% 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WORTHY C. BUCKNAM, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 DAVIS- BOURNONVILLE COMPANY, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR' TR-IMMING FLANGES.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VORTHY C; BUCKNAM,

Vvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Trimming Flanges, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the inventionis to provide means for expeditiously and economically trimming the flanges of boiler heads. In such heads as formed' the fianges are uneven and wider than is desired, and accordingly have to be trimmed off to the proper uniform width, which heretofore has been a lengthy and laborious matter.

The present apparatus comprises a mechanically propelled wheeled carriage adapted to travel along the upstanding flange of a boiler head placed horizontally, and jet-cutting means transported by the carriage and directed laterally against the flange on which the carriage is guided so as to cut Vthe same to the desired width.

1n the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment. of the invention: Figure 1. is a side elevation of the apparatus in operative relation to a boiler head, shown in section; Fig. 2 is a plan View; Fig. 3 is an elevation, looking at the outside of the flange and showing the cut in progress; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the linea-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the 'line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The views show a portion of a boiler head 1 with its flange 2. For the trimming oper ation the head is placed fiat upon any convenient support, with its flange projecting upward.

i A wheeled carriage for transporting the jet-cutting device 3 along the flange is lpreferably. though not necessarily, secured upon the end of a jointed arm or varms 4 mounted pivotally on a stationary support, such as the pedestal 5, which may stand upon `the central portion of the head or be otherwise sustained.

1n the particular construction illustrated the ends of the jointed arms Iare formed with vertical eyes or hubs 6 and 7` for the reception of a b ushing 8, which is held against vertical displacement by a. shoulder 10 and nuts 11. f

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed October 29, 1915. Serial No. 58,586.

The body 12 of the carriage is supported.

pivotally on the outside of the said bushing beneath the shoulder 10, and the carriage is provided with horizontal wheels 13 and 14, which are arranged to embrace the flange as shown. One wheel 13, which in this instance 1s the driving wheel, isfast on the lower end of a vertical shaft 15, which extends all the way through the bushing Sand bears at its upper end a worm wheel 16, the said worm wheel being meshed by a worm L7 on a shaft 18 mounted on one of the jointed arms and driven by an electric motor 19 also supported on said arm. The other wheels 14. of which there are preferably two, equidistant from the wheel 13, are disposed at the opposite side of the flange and are mounted so as to be spring urged toward the driving wheel. To this end a depending wheel support 20 is fulcrumed at 21 so as to be capable of tilting about a horizontal axis, and is controlled by a swing bolt 22 and a nut `23, the latter acting upon the wheel support through a compression spring 24. The fulcrum pivot 21 may connect said de pending wheel support with a part 25, which canv be set on an arm 26 projecting laterally from the body of the carriage, at any one of two or more points depending upon the position of `a pin 27 which is adapted to pass through holes in the parts 25 and 26, an unoccupiedhole being indicated at 28. This provision for adjustment of the fulcrum is desirable, because it enables the wheels 14: to be pressed against the flange substantially horizontally, whether the flange is thin or thick.

The height of the carriage and of the wheels 13 and 14: is determined by a. post 29 having a wheel 30 at its lower end to roll upon the face of the boiler head. The said post is clamped in a split sleeve 31 on the body of the carriage and may be adjusted longitudinally therein, so as to raise and lower the carriage, by loosening the'screw 32, slipping the post one wayor the other andV again tightening the screw. r1`his wheel and post constitute a support for the carriage and a gage to maintain the line of the cut straight and at a definite height upon the flange.

The cutting device is preferably mounted upon a secondary carriage or trailer, which is pivoted on a vertical axis on the mechaniend bears againstthe arm, as 'shown in Fig.

' 6. At itsfree end the arm 33 has a bearing for a vertical swivel 36 which is united below the arm with a double Wheel support 37 and above it with a member 38 having a horizontal split sleeve 39. The lower ends of the said wheel support 'carry horizontal flange-bearing wheels 40, eqnidi'stant from the axis of the swivel.

In the sleeve 39 a bar 41 having rack teeth 42 is adjustable lengthwise, across the ange, by means of a pinion 43 meshing with said teeth vangl rotatable by means of a hand wheel 44. An arm t5 pro'ects downward from the inner end of this ar, and to i-tla. tubular holder 46v is pivoted so that the sald holder may be tilted in a vertical plane and 'set at the desired angle by tightening the nut-or screw 47. In the said holder there is placed a jet-cutting device 3, 'of known character, which may be shifted up or down in the holder by 'means lof a pinion 49 enga ing rack teeth 50 on the body of the tore The 'nozzle 51 of this device is preferably bent at an upward inclination,'and its height relatively to thecarriage, its distance from the flan-ge, and its angularity 'in fa vertical sense may all be adjusted by the means indicated. It will be noted that it is disposed' centrally Withrespect to the 'two wheels 40, 'and that the whole arrangement Vis such that the angle of the nozzle to the ange, in a horizontal sense, is preserved uniform throughout the cut. Y y The operation will be readily understood rom the foregoing description. The lapparfatlsrs having been set -up as 'shown in the views and the jets having been turnpd on, the motor is 'arted, thereby re- 'tating the flange-engaging wheel 13 and thus l propelling the carriage and with it the jetcutting 'device at uniform speed along the Hangs. The cut-ting gases are directed upon v'the 'side of 'the ila-nge, the upper portion of is thereby -cu't oil above the wheels as the structure travels. 'The jets througheut the 'cut are spaced ata uniform distance 'from the face of the 'boiler head or the like by means .of the Wheel 30, which travels thereon. The specific height at which flange is cut ol lmay 4be determined by 'raising and lowering the -sleeve 31 of the carriage 12 on the post 29 of -this Wheel, and also 'by adjusting the torch relatively to the carria e in the manner heretofore described. e construction of the carriage with its 'privot'ed or lswinging torch-bearing 33- -lraving 'the 'swiveled wheel carrie' 5&7, and relaties et the te the tion of the vnozzle at/t'he inner side of the flange is desirable, in -that it produces a beveled edge, with the greatest height on the outer side, which is important for calking.

Vhile I have described the referred embodiment ofthe invention in etail, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown merous vchanges may be made Without departing from the 'spirit of the invention.

Furthermore, While the device is primarily heads, it will be apparent that `it may also be used for other similar Work.

What I claim as new is:

l. An apparatus for trimming the flanges ef boiler heads or the like, comprising a mechanically propelled ,carriage having means for guiding it upon and along an upstanding flange at a uniform distance above the 'face of the head or similar body, and transversely directed jetputting means transported by said carriage so as to re- 'move the upper portion of the flange at the desired height. v

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a mechanically propelled carriage having horizontal wheels arranged to embrace the upstanding flange of a boiler head or the like and 'one or more wheels arranged torun on the face of the headto cause the horizontal wheels to travel at ra constant height, and vmeans transported by the carriage for delivering cutting gases laterally against the .flange on which the carriage is guided.

3. An apparatus for trimming the flanges of boiler heads and the like, comprising a mechanically propelled carri-age having Wheels adapted to embrace an upstanding flange, a secondary carriage pivoted upon a vertical axis on the mechanically propelled carriage and having wheels adapted to travel upon one side of the flange, a spring for holding the secondary carriage with its wheels against the flange, and jetcutting means on the secondary carriage adapted to operate upon the ange at a predetermined height.

An apparatus for trimming the 'flanges Vof boiler 'heads and the like, comprising a mechanically propelled carriage Lhaving means for guiding it upon an ups'tandin'g flange, an Varm pivoted upon a vertical axis on the mechanically propelled carriage, a member `swiveled upon a vertical axis on said `arm and having Wheels spaced equidist'ant from the swivel axis to travel on -the flange, and -a cutting torch mounted on said s wveled memberwith nozzle. op-

and. thatv nu designed for trimming the flanges of boiler posed to the flange and disposed centrally with respect to said spacedA Wheels.

5. An apparatus for trimming the flanges of boiler heads or the like, comprising a Y mechanically propelled carriage constructed to travel along an upstanding flange at a uniform distance above the face of the head or similar body, transversely directed jet- 'cutting means transported by said carriage, and means forl shifting said jet-cutting means vertically so as to deliver the gases at the desired height against the flange.

6. An apparatus for trimming the flanges of boiler heads and the like, comprising, in

combination, a carriage having horizontal Wheels .adapted .to embrace an upstanding flange, a cutting nozzle transported by the itself and relatively to the carriage.

7. An apparatus for trimming the fianges of boiler heads or the like, comprising, in combination, a carriage having horizontal Wheels adapted to embrace an upstanding flange, driving means geared to one of said horizontal Wheels, means of additional rolling support to travel upon the face of the head or similar body, and a cutting nozzle 'transported by the carriage and directed laterally against the said flange.

8. An apparatus for trimming the flanges of boiler heads and the like, comprising a stationary support, a jointed arm pivotallymounted thereon, a Wheeled structure on the end .of the said arm having wheels adapted to embrace the flange to be trimmed, means for driving the said Wheeled structure along the flange, 4d a jet-cutting device transported by l said Wheeled structure and `mounted to deliver its gases against the side` of the flange.

i. WoRTHY c. BUCKNAM. 

